Education

Lagos building collapse: School owner, pregnant woman, 12 pupils die reportedly dead

Published

5 years ago

March 14, 2019

BY: Justice Godfry

A pregnant woman, the proprietor of the nursery/Primary school and 19 others, including no fewer than 12 pupils died in the collapsed building at Massey Street, Itafaji on Lagos Island on Wednesday, witnesses and hospital sources said.

However, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), said eight persons died, while 34 others were rescued in the wreckage of the building that collapsed at about 10 am.

Lagos State Emergency Management Agency did not give the number of the dead, but said it rescued 10 persons out of the wreckage. The agency said its rescue team and other agencies brought out 10 people alive, made up of 3 adult females, 1 adult male, 2 teenage boys, 1 young boy and 3 teenage girls.

The South-West Zonal Head of Public Affairs of the Agency, Mr Ibrahim Farinloye said the rescue operation was ongoing as at 8pm.

NAN gathered that most of the victims were rescued from the rubble on Wednesday, but died at the General Hospital as doctors failed to save them.

NAN learnt that the pregnant woman was one of the persons rescued from the rubble, immediately after the building collapsed, but she died in the hospital.

Other persons reported dead as at 8pm included the proprietress of the school, Ohen Nursery and Primary School, about 12 pupils and some other occupants of the building.

NAN gathered that about 10 different families occupied the first and the ground floors, while the school occupied the second and fourth floors.

The building at 63 Massey Street, it was learnt had been marked for demolition by officials of the Lagos State Building Control Agency.

However, the occupants of the building frustrated the demolition.

NAN further learnt that 17 of the rescued students and occupants of the building were taken to Massey Children Hospital, very close to the scene, while others were taken to the Lagos Island General Hospital on Broad Street.

A worker at the Massey Children Hospital, who spoke with NAN on condition of anonymity said that four out of those brought in, died few minutes after.

The medical staff said that six of those who were rushed to the Lagos General Hospital also died.

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, who visited the scene said the government would ensure that the trapped victims were rescued

The school moved to the collapsed building some years ago.

Distraught parents of pupils and residents of the building jammed the scene of the rescue operation hoping that their children and relatives would come out alive.

Miss Bukola Salami, a former staff teacher in the school who spoke with NAN said the proprietress of the school had been told to vacate the building but she balked on account that she had no money to rent another apartment.

”It was because of the situation of the building that forced me to resign from the school in December, because I don’t want to risk my life.

“It is unfortunate that such incident happened. It looks like a dream to me,” she said.

A resident of the collapsed building, who simply gave his name as Akin said that the building was marked for demolition but that the developer found a way to stop the demolition.

Akin said he had gone to work, when he received the news of the incident. He also stated that the owner did some renovation two years ago.

A neighbour, Mr Adewale Owoso likened the moment the building collapsed to a bomb explosion.

“We were just sitting down in front of the school, when we heard a loud sound .

“We all ran into different directions but after the dust had settled, we realised that it was the building that collapsed.

“We quickly mobilised and began some rescue operation and we had rescued more than twenty people, before the emergency workers arrived,” he said.

Mrs Aishat Onilenla said, three of her sister’s three children were trapped in the collapsed building. ‘My friend has seven children also trapped in the rubble”, she said.

“ I don’t know how she is going to survive it. It is too big for her to bear,” she said.

The deputy speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mr Wasiu Esinlokun, who visited the scene of the incident, said that a notice for demolition was served on the building on Tuesday, a day before the building collapsed.

Esinlokun, while speaking with journalists said that the Lagos State Government would ensure that victims of the incident are treated free.

As at 8.30pm, NAN gathered that some of the parents whose children died in the hospital had gone to pick up the corpses for burial.

Education

Federal Government Sets To Commence School-To-Work Scheme

Published

1 week ago

May 3, 2024

Alice Ginika Simon

The Federal Government says plans are underway to launch a school-to-work scheme to enable youths to become productive and self-employed.

The Executive Secretary of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr. Hamid Bobboyi disclosed this in Abuja during a meeting with Commissioners of Education, Executive State and FCT Universal Basic Chairmen, Education Boards and UBEC on the School-to-Work Scheme.

Bobboyi in his keynote address, disclosed that the target group for the scheme are learners in the junior secondary schools. He added that it will provide them the opportunity to detect early in life where their talents and potential lie, between academic pursuit and vocational skills development.

Explaining how the Scheme will run, the UBEC Boss stated that it is structured to provide at least six months training, broken into two months per year of study in the junior secondary school.

Also speaking, the Director Basic Education, Federal Ministry of Education, Dr. Folake Davies, stated that the Scheme which is inline with the road map policy of the ministry, is designed to provide youths with the requisite experience necessary to excel whenever they find themselves in the working environment.

The Director, who was represented by Rose Onoja stated that only collaborative effort from the Federal, State, and Local Government levels and active involvement from the private sector will make the implementation of the program successful. Liberate actions to mitigate the living conditions of their constituents.

Education

Fake University Degree Holders Soon To Be Fished Out And Arrested – Minister Of Education Announces

Published

1 month ago

April 3, 2024

Alice Ginika Simon

The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, on Tuesday, said security agencies will go after individuals with fake university certificates in the country.

According to the minister, the individuals will be tracked after the committee set up by the Federal Government to investigate the activities of university certificate racketeers in the country submits its report.

The Federal Government had set up an Inter-Ministerial Investigative Committee on Degree Certificate Milling to probe the activities of certificate racketeers following an investigative report published by Daily Nigerian which exposed the activities of degree mills in the Benin Republic.

The investigative report, which exposed the illegalities perpetrated by some tertiary institutions in the West African countries, led to the Nigerian government placing a ban on the accreditation and evaluation of degrees from Benin Republic and Togo.

The committee set up by the Federal Government was also tasked with investigating Nigerian private universities established in the last 15 years. Recently, the committee invited memoranda from the public. Selected members of the committee also visited institutions in the Benin Republic.

While speaking at the first quarterly citizens engagement in Abuja on Tuesday, the education minister, Mamman, said;

“On the issue of the fake degrees, we set up a committee and we expect them to submit their reports soon. Once the report is submitted, I can assure you that individuals with fake certificates will be apprehended. They will be tracked by security agencies.”

Also speaking at the engagement, the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Tanko Sununu, noted that the quarterly citizenship engagement was aimed at creating awareness of the activities of the ministry.

He noted that the engagement would “ also promote mutual understanding with stakeholders and citizens, build and sustain public trust, and improve transparency and accountability in the sector.”

“Worthy of mention is that this engagement also aims to improve efficiency and streamline government operations by identifying and addressing bottlenecks,” Sununu said.

Education

Stakeholders Head To Enugu For First South East Educators Conference

Published

2 months ago

March 16, 2024

Alice Ginika Simon

Stakeholders in the education circle are warming up for the maiden edition of Southeast Educators’ Conference 2024(SEEC’24).

The two-day SEEC’24 scheduled to hold 18th & 19th, April 2024 at Nike Lake Resort, Enugu under theme: Future-‘Focused Learning – Igniting the Competitive Edge’

Promises to host key players in the education sector with a potential attendance of over 500 delegates.
The conference will feature a diverse lineup of speakers, covering topics ranging from holistic learning approaches to cutting-edge technology integration.

Speaking ahead of the conference, Mrs Doris Chinedu-Okoro,CEO, Evergreen Group, said SEEC’24 is the first of its kind in the Southeast region, presenting a historic opportunity for stakeholders to pioneer positive change in the local education sector.
“It brings together diverse perspectives and innovative ideas,fostering collaboration and networking among educators and stakeholders.
Hundreds of delegates will be in attendance.
“SEEC’24 is dedicated to exploring transformative practices, emphasising holistic learning, technology integration, globalcitizenship, life-long learning, and community engagement”, she said.

Mr. Osita Chidioka, the former Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation, who recently launched an online mentorship and leadership programme for Nigerian youths named Mekaria Mentorship Programme (MMP) Foundation Course, will deliver the keynote at SEEC’24.

Prof. Pieter Verdegem; Dr. Joy Isa, Mrs. Bukola Adewuiyi, Lady Uju Dike, Fr. John Njorteah, Alex Onyia, Rotimi Eyitayo, Rhoda Odigboh, Elfrida Diete-Spiff Omole, Dr. ChibuezeLawrence Ofobuike, Ify Obidi-Essien, Dr. Abimbola Ogundere, Angelina Ikeako, Odetola Ebenezer Israel and OgochukwuOnyia, are some of the speakers lined up for the event.

The Evergreen Group CEO added that the conference thrives on a vision to create a dynamic platform that equips educators with the tools and knowledge needed to make a lasting impact on the educational landscape of South-Eastern Nigeria.

SEEC’24 is open to School Owners, Heads of Schools (Public and Private), Educational Stakeholders, Counselors, Teachers, Parents, Investors, Startups, and others in the education ecosystem.
“Participants will have the opportunity to engage in two full days of conference sessions, diving deep into the future of Education.
“There will be ample networking opportunities with school leaders from across the geopolitical zone and beyond.
“The evening Gala Night promises a delightful atmosphere for dancing, dining, wining, and fostering deeper connections in a relaxed setting”, she further explained.

Registration is N100,000 via: https://bit.ly/3uTcv9e